Tubing top



Sept. 18,1934. A G HEGGEM 1,973,809

TUBING TOP Filed June 30, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 18, 1934. H EM -1',973,s09

TUBING TOR Filed June 30, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 casing head being indicated in dot and dash'lines'.

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'runmo TOP Alfred G. Heggem, Tulsa, 0111a. Application June so, 1939, Serial No. 464,928

4 Claims. (01. 166-14) The principal feature of the invention consists in constructing the tubing top with a body member having an opening therethrough permitting the introduction and withdrawal of tubing and in combining therewith a plurality of tapered slips which are interposed between the said body and tubing and are adapted to clamp the tubing between them, the opening through the body member of the tubing top being coned or tapered for cooperation with the tapered slips, and means being provided for maintaining the several slips in horizontal alinement so as to induce uniform distribution of pressure upon the tubing.

There are other features of invention pertaining to details of elemental construction and advantageous relations of parts, all as will be hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention,-- c

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a tubing top involving the invention, showing it in operative relation to a casing head and a string of tubing.

Figure 2 is a view, partlyin plan and partly in sectionon the line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail ,vertical sectional view showing the slips in assembled relation;

Figure 4 isa detail horizontal sectional view showing the slips in assembled relation, the section being taken on the line 4-4, Figure 3.- n Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of a portion of the construction-shown in Figure 1, but illustrating an alternative means for maintaining the slips in proper horizontal alinement.

Figure 6 is a vertical central section of a tub-' ing top illustrating a modified form of the in- ,vention, a portion of the'tubing being shown and-the relation of the top to the supporting Figure '1 is a view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section on the line '1'1, Figu're 6.,

Figure 8 is a detail vertical section of a portion 'of the construction shown in Figure 6; the slips and the means for supporting them in horizontal alinement being shown in assembled relation.

Figure 9 is a detailsectional view on the line 99, Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail plan view showing the assembled relation of the slips embodied in the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig- Figure 11 is a plan view of the ring or bottom gland from which the slips shown in Figure 6 are suspended.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, 1 indicates the body member of the tubing top. It is preferably designed to be detachably mounted upon the casing head 2 of an oil Well, being for that purpose conveniently formed at its lower end with an externally tapered, conical base 3 which flares outwardly in a downwardlydirection and which is adapted to be'engaged by the set screws 4' with which the casing heads of oil wells are commonly equipped. It is to be-understood, however,,that this invention is not limited to any-- particular form of means-for securing the tubing top to the device upon which it is mounted, although the means herein disclosed are preferred. Interposed beneath the basal flange 3 of the tubing top and the casing head is a packing, ring 5 which serves to prevent the escape of fluid between the casing head and tubing top. v

The body member 1 is formed with a longitudinally extending bore or passage 6 through which the well-tubing 7 extends. This passage, which is preferably of circular cross-section throughout,

is, of tapering or conical formtoward its lowerend, asindicated at 8, being. convergent downwardly. The portion 9 of the passage which is immediately above the tapering portion 8 is preferably cylindrical and of the same diameter as the adjacent end of the tapering portion 8. This cylindrical portion 9.9! the passage in the body. member'l forms a packing: chamber for receiving a packing ring 10 which is customarily made of rubber but which who of anynbrous or yielding material such as hemp, cotton, lead or any form 015 metallic-packing. above the packing chamber 9 the diameter or the longitudinal passagethrough'thebody member 1 is enlarged, as;

indicated at 11, to receive the upwardly tapering conical headv of a gland member 12whieh encircles the tubing when the tubing top is in use.

This gland is'formed on its underside with a central projection 13 which extends into the packing chamber 9 'for oooperating with the '10, the lower surface of the gland being threaded engagement with the body member '1' and whose pointed inner ends cooperate with the correspondingly bevelled upper surface 16 of the gland.

Disposed within the tapered lower portion 8 of the passage with which the body member 1 is provided are a plurality of tapered slips 17 .embracing the tubing 7. These slips taper downwardly and are of segmental form, veach bein fashioned with a cylindrical interior surface for cooperating with the tubing and with a tapering or conical exterior surface for cooperating with the correspondingly inclined surface of the tapered portion 8 of'the passage in the body member. The slips are preferably of identical form and may advantageously be: serrated on their inner surfaces in the well-known manner.

Means are provided for preserving the proper horizontal alinement of the slips 17 to prevent the occurrence of anysuch relative vertical movement between them as would result in causing portions of the tubing 7 to be subjected to excessive pressure resulting in distortion of the tubing. For this purpose it is preferred to provide eachof the slips 1'? with an exterior groove .18 and also with an interior groove 19, each groove being adapted to receive a split spring ring. The ring 20 which fits in the outer groove 18 is preferably under tension, while the ring 21 which fits in the inner groove 19 of the slips is preferably under compression. Obviously,"

either spring ring may be omitted without impairing the emciency of the mechanism, the choice of rings depending upon whether it is desired to place the slips 1'? in the body member or box 1 and then insert the tubing or whether it is preferred to assemble the slips on the tubing and as thus assembled lower them'to operative position in the body member of the tubing top.

In the construction shown in Figure 1 the outer spring ring 20 is employed, while in the construction shown in Figure 5 the inner spring ring 21 is illustrated. Using the outer spring ring alone, ring or both spring rings, is advantageous in that the slips-1'7 may be placed on the tubing 7 at the point determining the position in which it is desired the tubing-shall hang, and upon lowering.

the tubing the slips contact with the tapered seat 8 of the tubing top body and by clamping tightly against the tubing hold the latter in the desired position. Moreover, when pulling the tubing thetouter spring ring 20, which as before explained is assembled under tension strain, will maintain the slips 1'? in firm contact with the tubing so that they will bevwithdrawn by the latter and allow free passage of thetubing and its collars through the tubing top.

- pr zontalalinement M form-'an-adequate bearing for the packing 10.

Providing means for maintaining the slip 17 in proper horizontal alinement not only prevents undue lack of uniformity of the pressure of the slips against the tubing but it will be perceived that it has the additional advantage the tops of the slips 1'! in hon- -so that the slips themselves the set screws 15 for forcing the gland formed witha tapered passage, .9.

in preference to employing the inner spring 7 danger of personal injury such as is often attendant upon lining up bolt holes when adjusting bolts are employed.

In ,the modified form of the invention illus= trated in Figures 6 to 11 inclusive tapering slips 22 are employed which differ from the slips 17 heretofore described in that they are unprovided with the grooves or channels 18 and 19 for receiving the corresponding spring rings 20 and 21. In the modified construction each slip is provided at its upper end with a threaded opening 23 to receive a screw 24 serving to support the slip into which it is threaded. The heads of these screws 24 rest upon a ring 25 which contacts the upper ends of the slips 22. The ring is provided with suitable openings 26 for receiving the stems of the screws, such openings being elongated radially of the ring to permit movement of the slips toward the tubing '7. The ring 25, which forms a bottom gland for the packing 2! is preferably conically cupped on its upper surface forcooperation with the packing; and in order that the packing may not interfere withthe radial movement of the screws 24, the upper corresponding parts illustrated in the principal figures of the drawings and heretofore described and, accordingly, corresponding reference numerals have been employed to designate the identical parts.

I claim:

1. A tubing body member plurality of tapered slips disposed within said passage and cooperating with the body member, means for maintaining the upper 'ends-of said slips in horizontal alinement, a packing gland slidable axially of said'tapered passage, and yielding packin means seated upon the upper ends of said slips beneath said gland. t

2. A tubing top comprising a body member having a passage formed with a tapered portion and a tubular portion of substantially uniform diameter, a plurality of tapered slips disposed within the tapered portion of said passage and cooperating with said body member, said slips at their upper ends being of a diameter substantially equal to that of said tubular portion of said passage, means for connecting said slips to maintain them in horizontal alinement, yielding packing means disposed in said passage above said top comprising a slips, a tubular gland slidable axially of said passage for compressing said packing, said gland ing a passage therethrough, said passage having a tapered lower portion, an intermediate cylindrical portion and an upper cylindrical portion of greater diameter than said intermediate portion, a plurality of slips disposed within said passage and cooperating. with a tapered portion navaeoo thereof, a lower gland disposed in said passage above the slips, means for connecting said gland and slips, an upper tubular gland slidable longitudinally 01' said passage and having a portion extending into the intermediate portion of said passage and having a head disposed within said upper portion of the passage in the body member, said glands being adapted to receive packing means between them, and a plurality 01' set screws adjustably mounted on the body member and adapted to engage said head to force the tubular gland toward said lower gland.

4. A tubing top comprising a body member having a passage formed with a tapered portion and with a cylindrical portion of a diameter substantially equal to that of the adjacent end of said tapered portion, a plurality oi tapered slips dis- 

